St. John's University Athletics
St. John’s Signs A’riel Little and Janeya Grant to 2024 Class
11/9/2023 2:22:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Little becomes highest rated recruit to sign with St. John’s in six years
QUEENS, N.Y. – The St. John's women's basketball program announced the signing of two incoming freshmen A'riel Little and Janeya Grant on Thursday.
The talented guard duo made it official with the signing of their National Letters of Intent and will join the Red Storm for the 2024-25 season.
"We are unbelievably excited about this year's signees," Head Coach Joe Tartamella said. "I believe we are bringing in a combination of talent and high character student-athletes in Grant and Little. We know that they will compete and bring toughness to our program everyday."
A New York City product, Little is currently ranked No. 99 in the ESPNW Top-100 and becomes the program's highest-rated high school recruit to choose the Johnnies since top-10 all-time scorer Kadaja Bailey signed as part of the 2018 class.
A New York Class AA First Team All-State selection as a junior, the Brooklyn native averaged 19.4 points and 7.2 assists per game at South Shore High School. She eclipsed the 1,000 career-point mark during her junior campaign.
A proven winner, the crafty guard led South Shore to a 2023 New York City Public School Athletic League (PSAL) Championship. In the title game at the Barclays Center, Little led the Vikings to seventh-straight PSAL title with a dominant 77-36 victory over Susan Wagner. The point guard commandeered the offense scoring a game-high 19 points and was named the PSAL Championship Game MVP.
"Little will bring a New York toughness and tenacity to our team that has made her a highly successful point guard at the high school level," Tartamella said. "As a staff, we love that her ability to be an elite shot-creator and tough shot-maker at her size."
In AAU, Little ranked top-10 on the Adidas 3SSB 17U circuit averaging 3.8 assists per contest for Castle Athletics this past summer.
Grant, a dynamic guard who can score from all three levels will spend her final high school season at South Shore Christian Academy in Massachusetts after a successful career at Putnam Science Academy in Connecticut.
The 6-foot guard guided Putnam Science Academy to the Independent School National Championship semifinals during her junior year. She averaged 16.0 points per game and displayed her long-range with 4.0 3-pointers per contest.
"Grant fits our style very well and she can score in a variety of ways, Tartamella said of his new commit. "Her ability to score at all three levels and in bunches will allow her to thrive in our program and the BIG EAST."
The Middletown, Conn., native played her AAU basketball with the NY Gauchos and made a splash this summer in the competitive Adidas 3SSB Circuit.
As an eighth grader, Grant broke a league record scoring 50 points at Capital Preparatory Magnet School in Middletown, Conn.
The talented guard duo made it official with the signing of their National Letters of Intent and will join the Red Storm for the 2024-25 season.
"We are unbelievably excited about this year's signees," Head Coach Joe Tartamella said. "I believe we are bringing in a combination of talent and high character student-athletes in Grant and Little. We know that they will compete and bring toughness to our program everyday."
A New York City product, Little is currently ranked No. 99 in the ESPNW Top-100 and becomes the program's highest-rated high school recruit to choose the Johnnies since top-10 all-time scorer Kadaja Bailey signed as part of the 2018 class.
A New York Class AA First Team All-State selection as a junior, the Brooklyn native averaged 19.4 points and 7.2 assists per game at South Shore High School. She eclipsed the 1,000 career-point mark during her junior campaign.
A proven winner, the crafty guard led South Shore to a 2023 New York City Public School Athletic League (PSAL) Championship. In the title game at the Barclays Center, Little led the Vikings to seventh-straight PSAL title with a dominant 77-36 victory over Susan Wagner. The point guard commandeered the offense scoring a game-high 19 points and was named the PSAL Championship Game MVP.
"Little will bring a New York toughness and tenacity to our team that has made her a highly successful point guard at the high school level," Tartamella said. "As a staff, we love that her ability to be an elite shot-creator and tough shot-maker at her size."
In AAU, Little ranked top-10 on the Adidas 3SSB 17U circuit averaging 3.8 assists per contest for Castle Athletics this past summer.
Grant, a dynamic guard who can score from all three levels will spend her final high school season at South Shore Christian Academy in Massachusetts after a successful career at Putnam Science Academy in Connecticut.
The 6-foot guard guided Putnam Science Academy to the Independent School National Championship semifinals during her junior year. She averaged 16.0 points per game and displayed her long-range with 4.0 3-pointers per contest.
"Grant fits our style very well and she can score in a variety of ways, Tartamella said of his new commit. "Her ability to score at all three levels and in bunches will allow her to thrive in our program and the BIG EAST."
The Middletown, Conn., native played her AAU basketball with the NY Gauchos and made a splash this summer in the competitive Adidas 3SSB Circuit.
As an eighth grader, Grant broke a league record scoring 50 points at Capital Preparatory Magnet School in Middletown, Conn.
Players Mentioned
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